Dear Sister,

 

When you were born

I remember receiving

A bright red camera

I remember

Clutching it close

As my smile grew

I remember

Looking

Through the

Small viewfinder

Pointing it

At you

No idea

My camera roll

Would be forever full

Of you

 

When you were six

I remember dumping out

A large bucket of toys

I remember

Rummaging to find

And set up

Little towns

Watching

As you followed suit

I remember

Sitting there

Smiling

As we crafted

Marvelous stories

Only the minds of

Small children could

 

When you were eight

I remember

Sharing a room

Two twin beds pushed

To each side of

The small room

Clothes

Shoved tightly

Into one closet

I remember

Standing

On the beds

As we jumped back

And forth

With little concern

 

When you were eleven

I remember

Not getting along

I remember

Thinking

You were into

Little Girl Things

And I’m

Not

I remember

Arguing

And getting yelled at

I remember

Wishing

We didn’t

Grow apart

 

When you were thirteen

I remember you starting

High school

I remember getting in

My treasured white car

And trying to grasp

How things

Were bound

To change

I remember thinking

For the first time

In four years

We’d be learning

In the same place

And how

I was

Relieved

 

When you were fourteen

I remember Ms. Tammy passing

I remember sitting

As mom was trying

To remain strong

I remember breaking

My throat

Closing

Eyes

Dripping

You scooted closer

And took

My shaking hand

Squeezing and unyielding

I remember

Wanting

To be as strong

As you

 

When you were fifteen

I remember picking

A college

I remember

You calling dibs

Stressing

You

Were the first

To commit

I remember driving late that night

Hating my empty

Passenger seat.

Hating that for the first time

In fifteen years

My best friend

Won’t be by my side

Lacking a necessary piece in

My life

 

Currently, you’re almost sixteen

The big milestone

Where freedom flows

I’m leaving soon

Off to late night study sessions

And living off Ramen

I still feel

A part of my heart

Is being left

Behind

But

I’m no longer

Scared

Because even though

This is the end

It is by far

Not

The End

 

Thank you

For appearing

In that viewfinder

For dumping out

Those toys

For sharing

That cramped room

For the ups

And the downs

For the shrieking

Laughter

For the never-ending

Support

The brutal

Honesty

The blind

Trust

The full

Camera roll

 

But

Most of all

Thank you for being

My best friend

My inspiration

My better half

My hero

My little sister

 

I Love You,

Your Big Sister